How do you tell someone that their baby is ugly?

We run into this problem everyday. The majority of hard working people believe certain financial myths that require a conversation that is similar to telling someone their baby is ugly. The “conditioning” that has been experienced is frustrating, to say the least, but understandable…especially when you understand who has been doing the conditioning.

For example, and this goes out to all you Dave Ramsey and Suze Orman followers: why do banks offer you a lower rate on a 15 year mortgage than a 30 year mortgage?

Do you believe it is because they have your best interests at heart? If not, then why the discount? If the bank does not have your interest, the consumer, at heart then have you ever considered that maybe you should understand these reasons before you just accept what Ramsey or Orman say?

I sure wish they’d (Ramsey & Orman) take the time to understand because then maybe they wouldn’t lead so many people down a path of waste and wealth transfer. Speaking of wealth transfer, do you believe that Americans transfer more wealth than they accumulate? Come on now. Think of financing. Think of taxes. Think of, and wait for this one since NO ONE talks about it, think of….opportunity costs.

What are opportunity costs? Well, if you paid (or transferred) a dollar that you didn’t have to, not only do you lose that dollar but you lose what that dollar could have earned for you.

The answer to the first question will be the next post. I feel very certain that you haven’t considered the reasons for the discounted rate. As a matter of fact, there has yet to be an individual that I’ve met with, and I regularly meet with everyday-Joe’s to highly successful CFPs and CPAs, who has answered this question correctly.

So bring it on people. Give it your best shot. And if you say it’s because it carries less risk for the bank…you’re wrong.

Share this:

Like this:

LikeLoading...

This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 15th, 2009 at 12:09 am and is filed under Dave Ramsey, Mortgages. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
Both comments and pings are currently closed.